All About Your Parrot's Feathers

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
It's certainly in depth. Not much more you can say about feathers.

This guy used to live right down the street from me... and my daughter works at Sea World. (It's walking distance from my house.)

(Just don't start singing that Disney song. When my daughter was a kid, she made me go on that stupid singing doll ride, like 37 times in a row... until I begged for death!)
 
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Christinenc2000

Christinenc2000

New member
Oct 8, 2014
3,320
4
North Carolina
Parrots
Big Bird _ Blue & Gold Macaw
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LOL Well I am a little worried about the feathers around his neck. I know he is molting. He has lost 3 tail feathers a few back feathers.
His neck is getting pin's but still there are spots with no feathers just what I call fuzzie brown/ gray fluff. I was worried his feathers had been damaged and not regrow but the pins are finally appearing in this area. So I tried to learn as much as I can about Feathers. Guess I went into over drive
Many I think I am getting stress bars LOL

Edit : I love your Avatar
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
That's my favorite Maggie Pic...

Yeah, Sweepea looks more like a porcupine than a bird at the moment. I try and do a little each night, but she has limited patience for sitting still and letting me open feathers. She wants to roll around on my lap and wrestle, not hold still and get feathers open.

I just did a bunch on Maggie's head and neck, and now there's a bunch more, and several new tail feathers coming in.

So, it's just that time of year.
 
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Christinenc2000

Christinenc2000

New member
Oct 8, 2014
3,320
4
North Carolina
Parrots
Big Bird _ Blue & Gold Macaw
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  • #5
Ok well Deep breath again. I am going to try and get some pictures of him this weekend and post. Its been awhile and he is so much prettier. The new feathers are so bright.
Thanks again
 

mwright1972

Member
May 28, 2014
32
Media
3
5
East Texas
Parrots
Bob - Umbrella Coockatoo
Marley-Sun Conure
Thanks so much for posting that. I read from top to bottom.

I am having a problem and I am looking for "valuable" info... not just info.

I have had Bob (Umbrella Cockatoo) for 2 months. He is now 9 months old. I work so he stays at home everyday in his very large "Macaw size" cage and chats it up with Marley (sun conure). They are the best of friends. They stay in different cages when I am not home but love to be together when I am home.

Every morning before work I get them both out and they play in the bathroom floor for about an hour while I get ready for work. Every evening when I get home (around 5:30) I take them out change food/water and then play with them in the floor for about an hour, and by play I mean throw the toy ball-they run and go get it, tug-a war with the rope toys, Bob yells and tries his very best to talk and I encourage all he wants to get out. Then they go to a free standing perch in the middle of the room and preen and play with each other while I eat and do housework. Then around 8 or so the lights dim and I let them sit with me while I read or watch tv. By 9ish they are both ready for bed, they go in different cages and are covered. Then the next day we start all over again.
On weekends it is quite different. I let them both out as soon as I get up, they either stay with me running around on the floor playing or sit on the perch and preen... their choice really. I make them take like an hour or so break/nap around mid afternoon in their cage, but for the most part they are out and about all day.
The past 2 weekends we have went camping, and because I didn't want to have to go back and forth to check on them I just took them with us. Marley was kind of scared and stayed right with me, but Bob was an explorer and ran through leaves, chewing on pine cones and sweet gum balls. Watching the birds overhead and putting his umbrella up like he was protecting us from them. Seemed like everyone had fun.
Monday back to normal, Tuesday... I get home and Bob has chewed off ALL of his tail feathers. And as I am holding him and trying to console him for whatever has happened he continues to grab wing feathers with his beak and snap them off, right at the point that they start to grow out. NOT PLUCKING.

So now I have called the vet and they are going to see him tomorrow but I know I have a great support group here... SO I need input.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY HAPPY BOB????

And I know the feathers wont grow back until the broke one falls out... so should I have them plucked?

Please help.
Sad Momma
 

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